Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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My Department engages extensively with the United States on a wide range of foreign policy issues. Recent high level political engagements with the United States Government, including my visit in February to Washington DC and then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s visit to Washington in March, were opportunities to discuss a number of priority foreign policy issues, notably the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the war in Ukraine.

Ireland considers that the longstanding economic, commercial, and financial embargo imposed by the United States on Cuba serves no constructive purpose and that its lifting would facilitate an opening of Cuba’s economy to the benefit of its people.

Ireland has expressed this view consistently on various occasions in recent years. Ireland, along with our European Union partners, consistently votes in favour of the resolution calling for an end to the US embargo on Cuba. I can confirm that Ireland voted again in favour of this resolution when it was last brought before the United Nations General Assembly in November 2023.

Ireland fully supported the comprehensive EU statement on this matter in November, which made clear that the embargo has a damaging impact on the economic situation of the country and negatively effects the living standards of the Cuban people.

The damaging impact of the embargo is further exacerbated by US sanctions and the inclusion of Cuba on the unilateral list of State Sponsors of Terrorism. I regret that the inclusion of Cuba on this list has a negative impact on foreign direct investment in Cuba and further aggravates the already difficult situation of the Cuban people. In addition, these measures damage EU economic interests and the EU has firmly and continuously voiced its opposition to these measures due to their extraterritorial application and impact on the EU. The EU has stated clearly that these measures are in violation of commonly accepted rules of international trade.

Ireland will continue to raise these issues, including through our Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York and through our EU partners, whenever appropriate. Ireland will also continue to engage with Cuba through our engagement with the Embassy of Cuba in Dublin, through our Embassy in Mexico, to which Cuba is accredited, and through our EU partners, including via the various dialogue mechanisms that are provided under the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement in place between the EU and Cuba.